Albania is a Western Balkans country with EU candidate status, a growing technology and professional services sector, and one of the most significant proportional diaspora populations in Europe — an estimated 1.5 to 2 million Albanians live abroad, primarily in Italy, Greece, Germany, and the United States, creating professional networks that extend far beyond what the domestic market of approximately 2.8 million would generate. For senior professionals with 10 or more years of experience, Albania's professional market is primarily relevant as a nearshore Italian and broader European market with strong language capability (Italian and English proficiency are both high), as a base for internationally mobile professionals seeking a low-cost EU-adjacent European location, and as a rapidly growing technology services market. Tirana has developed considerably in the last decade and is an increasingly livable and internationally connected city.